Bells
by Shadowwolf5
Summary: Brad's going out with some girl, but what happens when she dumps him for no good reason? Who'll help him recover. maniacal laughter BradNaomi


**Shadowwolf:**  Hi, I'm back again!  Just got this idea from stuff…hope you enjoy!  Thanks to all who review my other stories, and everyone who just plain reads!

**Brad:**  A short Br/N?

**Shadowwolf:**  Yep.

**Brad:**  /Short?/

**Shadowwolf:**  Yep.

**Brad:**  Didn't see that coming.

**Shadowwolf:**  Disclaimer:  I don't own it.  And because I forgot my disclaimer on ch.6 of COTHAM, I still don't own it!  DON'T SUE!!!!  Enjoy! ^-^

BELLS

"I don't know," Lea said as she stared deeply into Brad's icy blue eyes.  "We've been going out for a while now, but, there's just something missing."

            "What?  What do you want me to do?" Brad looked around the quiet coffee shop.  It was nearly midnight, only two other people occupied the shop.  "I'm sorry if I'm doing something wrong."

            "No, I, well, it's just…" she looked off at the door, as if she'd run out on him.

            "Please, just tell me what I need to do."

            "There's nothing you can do.  I need a change.  Someone different." She took her eyes from Brad to her coffee sitting on the table.

            "So, you're dumping me?  Right?"

            "Well…yeah.  I'm sorry Brad, it's just, well…like I said, I need a change."

            "I understand." Brad corrected himself in his mind, _Liar._

            "So, I'll just leave, no long goodbyes.  See ya around Brad, good luck in your battles…" She stood up and quietly walked out, the bell above the door jingling.  Brad just sat, and sipped his coffee.  _No big deal, she wasn't right for me…_  No matter how hard he tried to convince himself he didn't need her, the fact that they'd been so happy, and gone out so long, lingered.  _How could it have gone bad?_  Another voice in his head appeared.  _You're a Zoid pilot, she's a college student who thinks fighting in any way is bad._  He sighed.  He and Lea Wrend had gone out for ten months now.  Everything had gone smoothly, until yesterday.  Brad remembered their trip to the movies…

            "Should we buy popcorn?" He asked Lea as he tucked his ticked stub in his pocket.

            "Sure," she said, looking around at the crowds of chattering teens.  Then, Brad thought, someone must've caught her eye, because she started to walk away.

            "Where ya headed to?"

            "Bathroom…" she trailed off, and headed toward a group of people.  Brad pretended to look away, but watched the whole time.

            "Hey, Jack?" a young man turned around to face her.  He was tall with brown hair laden with blonde highlights.

            "Lea?"

            "Yeah…"

            "So, you here with someone, or what?" he looked around behind her.

            "Actually, yes," she turned and pointed to Brad, who turned around in the nick of time.  "Him, his name's Brad Hunter."

            "Ahh, I see.  Having fun?"

            "Yeah," she paused and looked at his clothes, "well, better get back."

            "Yep." He looked at her strangely.  "Well, go get back to your boyfriend." She nodded and walked back over to Brad.

            "So, you fall in the toilet or what?" he tried to joke a little, to make himself less uneasy.

            "Kinda, I ran into my ex.  His name's Jack.  Pain in the butt if you ask me," she sighed.  Brad put his arm around her shoulders and back as they started walking.  Lea glanced over at Jack again, who was hugging some girl.  She thought about the times she'd had with him.

            When they entered the theater, she noticed Jack was seated three or four rows in front of them.  He kept looking back.  In order to make him jealous, she finally sat her head on Brad's chest and closed her eyes, looking as content as a dog by a fireplace.  As she did so, she couldn't help but compare the two.  _Brad's got a nice body, but it's just not the same as Jack…_

            Brad sipped his coffee again.  He couldn't help but think that her encounter with Jack had something to do with it.  The shop's owner came up to Brad's table.

            "Closing time, sorry." Brad looked at the green-rimmed clock on the wall.  12:54.

            "Thanks," he muttered, half asleep as he walked out the door.

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            The next few days didn't go terribly well for Brad.  His concentration was shot.  He'd been knocked out in three of the last five battles.  Everyone knew he had been dumped, but they didn't know it would hurt him this badly.  Most concerned of all was Naomi.  It had really hurt her to see Brad go out with Lea, but she forced herself to be happy for him.  After all, he loved it.  And if you really love something, you're happy as long as it's happy, right?  That was all she could figure.  Now that he was hurt, it was like she shared his pain.

            In an effort to comfort and cheer him up, after a battle (where Brad was disabled again) Naomi offered a trip to the coffee shop.  Unfortunately, it was the same coffee shop 'the incident' occurred in.  Brad seemed okay with it, but Naomi could tell he was still bummed.

            "So, bad losing streak, huh?"

            "Well, the team's been winning, but I've been system frozen four out of six times."

            "Hmm…anything I can do?  I hate to see you like this.  You're depressed all the time." Naomi bit her lip, thinking she might've let too much slip.  "If she dumped you for that Jack dude, she's not worth your time, is she?" she bit her lip harder this time.

            "Guess you're right, but we were so happy.  And just because she saw her ex she dumped me.  I don't get women."

            "You aren't supposed to," she smiled, "only we know how our brains work."

            "Then can you tell me what she was thinking?"

            "Nope, can't help you there.  Why she'd want to dump you, I'll never get." Naomi slapped herself mentally.  Brad perked up.

            "What do you mean?" Brad knew what she meant, he just wanted to hear it admitted.

            "Well, you're nice, and…strong, and smart.  And handsome." This time, she slapped herself physically, and Brad started to laugh.

            "Good, not only did I get you to smile, you're laughing." She started turning red.

            "Ah, I needed that.  Haven't laughed for a while.  I'm pretty stupid, huh?"

            "Yeah-" he erupted in laughter again.  She realized what she'd said, "I didn't mean it like that!  Sorry…"

            "It's fine.  You're right."

            "How so?"

            "I was going around looking for some smart, pretty girl, when you've been here all along." He smiled charmingly.

            "What…do y-you mean?" Naomi's voice was shaky with embarrassment.

            "You know what I mean.  Come on, let's head back to my place.  We can have dinner and tea or something." Brad stood up and reached his hand out to her.  She returned his smile and took his hand.  They walked out together, the only noise made: the jingling of the shop's bell.

**Shadowwolf:**  So what do ya think?  Short and sappy.  Where did this come from?  Well, kind of a situation at school, that I twisted around a lot, and got this.  Interesting…hope you liked!

**Brad:**  I liked.

**Naomi:**  Me too.

*lots of kissing and mushy stuff*

**Shadowwolf:**  AHH!  It burns!  Just kidding…it's okay if it's Br/N, anyone else, I might lose my lunch that I didn't really eat today.  Again, thanks, and hope you enjoyed!!!!!

^_^


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